1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for bulk storage and transport of liquids in an industrial setting. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a system and method involving connectable and disconnectable storage cars which may be filled with a liquid through a single fill point when several of these cars are connected in series.
2. Prior Art
Bulk storage and transfer systems for use with liquids in industrial settings have several advantages such as cost savings, convenience, and ready accessibility. However, current in-plant bulk storage and transfer systems normally involve large tanks with limited or nonexistent mobility, and complicated and expensive piping systems to transfer the material stored in the tanks to points of use. Thus, flexibility of current systems is less than optimal.
Moreover, medium and smaller industrial companies are not always candidates for current bulk delivery systems due to their size. Yet, many such customers would like to take advantage of the safety, convenience, and cost savings that bulk delivery provides.
Portable reusable containers for liquids, sometimes referred to as "tote bins", are known and used today. However, these bins are expensive to return to a seller of the bulk liquid, and further costs are incurred to clean and to refill the currently used containers. In addition, these portable "tote bins" sometimes exceed the weight capacity of a forklift truck which is ordinarily used to move them about in a plant. Furthermore, the size of these portable tote bins is not standardized, and they must be weighed to determine the volume contained therein each time they are filled.
The use of 55-gallon drums is, also, common for the transport and storage of chemicals and the like. However, disposing of these drums once they are emptied of their contents is increasingly becoming a problem due to the current crisis in landfill space and the possibly hazardous nature of some contents of the drums. In view of this current crisis in land fill operations in the United States, particularly hazardous waste land fills and the like, it would be advantageous to minimize use of disposable 55-gallon drums.
Thus, it is to be appreciated that there exists a need for improved means and methods for storing and transport of bulk chemicals and other fluids within an industrial plant or the like. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.